Volk Eye Check Troubleshooting Guide

I am trying to focus, but the focus will not lock easily.

Please ensure that:

The environment is right – lighting (ideally white lights); light level between 70-85 for light skinned patients and 60-65 for dark skinned patients; neutral background; no reflections; no backlighting. Perhaps try a different location.

I am getting a lot of invalid pictures (red crosses)

Check the status messages displayed on the screen and look at what the patient pictures look like by clicking the Review icon and inspect the thumbnails. Please ensure that:

The environment is right – lighting (ideally white lights); light level between 70-85 for light skinned patients and 60-65 for dark skinned patients; neutral background, no reflections; no backlighting. Perhaps try a different location.

Try to follow the on-screen picture taking instructions closely.

Ensure that you are at the correct distance from the patient – approximately 50cm between the camera lens and the patient (an arm’s length).

Try and achieve sharp, focused pictures.

Avoid any distractions when taking pictures, especially conversation.

Take the picture as soon as the green focus lock appears – do not linger.

The patient is not moving / rocking in their chair (a comfortable chair with a backrest is recommended, especially for children).

Get acquainted with the device by practising on non-patients first. Refer to Steps 4 & 5 in the Quick-Start Guide.

I am at the correct distance but the distance indicator is not green.

Use the following sequence when taking pictures:

Release the shutter button fully.

Hold the device firmly and frame the subject as guided.

Half-press the shutter button to focus lock before full press.

Repeat if necessary until the green indicator appears.

Do not change the distance.

Take the shot.

I am getting valid pictures (green ticks), but VEC still requires more than 4 pictures per session.

This is most commonly related to poorly focused pictures, even if the thumbnails appear to be OK.Please ensure that:

Correct patient details have been entered: date of birth, gender, IPD (if applicable). The device is age and gender sensitive.

The device is held steady when taking pictures. Hold VEC with both hands and ensure your position is comfortable to minimise shaking.

Try to follow the on-screen picture-taking instructions closely.

The patient’s eyes are fully open.

The time between the half-press focus lock and the full-press shutter release is kept as short as possible while still allowing the focus to lock properly.

The shutter half-press focus lock has time to settle before taking the picture.

The patient is not moving/ rocking in their chair (a comfortable chair with a back rest is recommended, especially for children).

Avoid any distractions when taking pictures, especially conversation.

Ensure the patient is looking at the correct location – the lens when in Contact Lens mode and the “sun” target when in Eye Check mode.

The patient-to-VEC distance was adjusted but the distance indicator does not reflect that.

VEC does not continuously auto focus. Each time the patient or the device moves, the shutter button must be released fully and re-pressed in order for VEC to focus lock at the current distance. This step must be repeated each time the distance is changed.

I cannot get the green focus-lock rectangles over the patient’s eyes.

The position on the screen of the green focus lock rectangles is random. Once you see the green rectangles and the focus locks – take the picture without delay. Do not worry where the green rectangles appear on the screen.

Can Volk Eye Check be used with spectacles, contact lenses and eye drops?

In principle, the answer is NO.If spectacles and contact lenses are not removed they may affect the ability of VEC to complete a session due to interfering reflections. Nevertheless, some sessions may complete as normal even under these conditions. Eye drops are likely to lead to wrong results so should be avoided.

I want to take a Contact Lens session but do not know the patient’s IPD.

Input of the patient’s IPD is required when using Contact Lens mode.

The patient is looking at the camera but the status message says “subject not looking at target”

Please make sure that the subject is looking at the correct target for the current session mode. For Eye Check mode, the subject is required to look at the off-center fixation “sun” target. For Contact Lens mode, the subject is required to look straight at the camera lens. The gaze indicator in the top right hand corner of the capture mode screen will indicate the fixation point required for the current capture mode.

The lens is extended and the screen has frozen.

Occasionally this may occur, sometimes caused by a sequence of icons and buttons being pressed too quickly, without allowing time for individual functions to complete before pressing the next one.

Wait for a few moments, a system error message may appear. If it does, touch the ‘force close’ button.

Long press the power button until a menu appears, select power reboot.

Once the system has rebooted, Enter the Eye Check or Contact Lens application as normal (the lens will still be extended at this point)

Input or select patient details and start a session.

Ensure the zoom indicator correctly shows “Z5” on the right hand side of the screen.

Using the physical back button, abort the session. This should cause the lens to retract and the patient details screen to be displayed.

Continue to use the device normally.

After completing a session the pupil sizes are not showing.

VEC usually automatically detects the patient’s pupils in Eye Check. On occasion, it is “unsure” about the pupil identification and therefore omits the pupil measurement. This is because VEC needs to see the whole pupil to identify it correctly; often a patient’s eyes may be half closed. Please try taking another session on the same patient encouraging them to open their eyes wider if pupils are the main information you require, try taking a Contact Lens session.

I try to start a session but nothing happens even though I have pressed the “eye” icon several times.

When starting a session, the “eye” icon needs to be pressed. There is a short lag of approximately 5 seconds while the lens extends (you can feel the motor), the screen lights up and the correct zoom level is set.

I put my device to sleep but it seems to have switched off – does the battery need charging?

If a device is left in sleep/standby the device will power itself down at approximately 2am. Long press the power button to start up device. If long pressing the power button fails to activate VEC, charging may be required. Connect VEC to a power source via your chosen method.

There was an error message notifying me that VEC stopped unexpectedly – what should I do?

Touch the “force close” option. This will reset the application and return to VEC home screen. Continue to use the device normally.

VEC is physically connected to my computer but there is no communication between the two.

From the home screen click device settings.

Drag down the grey bar from the top of the screen to open the Connectivity menu.

Touch USB Connected.

Touch Turn on USB Storage.

Select OK when USB advice message appears.

These steps are always required to connect VEC to a computer.

On your computer, locate the device in Finder (Mac) or Windows Explorer (Windows).

Click on the device to open the root folder.

Open the folder IRISSReports and begin managing the patient records.

The message “Verify IPD values or use a sticker” appears when taking pictures.

Ensure the values used are correct and the patient’s date of birth and gender have been correctly entered. VEC will check that the IPD values used are within the accepted range for the age and gender of the patient.

The PDF email is not arriving.

Check that the WiFi connection has been set up correctly (see Quick Start Guide or Instructions for Use). Check that the correct e-mail address has been input. To do this:

Touch the Eye Check icon from the home screen.

Touch the settings icon on the right hand side of the screen. Remember to carefully check that the correct e-mail address has been entered and that the upload option has been checked.

If the upload option has not been the data will not upload, even if WiFi is connected and the correct e-mail address is entered. If you would like to upload a session that has previously failed to upload:

For a successful upload please ensure the device is within the coverage of the specified WiFi service.

Touch Eye Check or Contact Lens from VEC home screen.

Touch review icon on the left hand side.

Scroll down to find patient and select. If there is more than one session for a patient please select the correct session.

Press the red upload icon to manually initiate the upload process. This icon will turn amber to signify the upload is in process and will appear green on completion of a successful upload.

Can I abort the session and start again?

Absolutely, we would recommend this step if the session, for whatever reason, is not going well. Aborting the session ‘resets’ the system. To do this press the physical back button on the right hand side of the screen. This will take you back to the patient input screen. Keeping all patient data on the input screen, select the eye icon to re-start the session.

Eye Check Status & Error Messages​

Picture not quite in focus

Hold the device firmly and operate the shutter gently. Using the first shutter detent, allow the device to focus (green focus-lock indicators) then gently press the shutter further to take the shot